Jeff Smith facts for kids

Jeffrey L. "Jeff" Smith was a famous American chef. He was born on January 22, 1939, and passed away on July 7, 2004. Jeff Smith wrote many popular cookbooks. He was best known as the host of a long-running American cooking show called The Frugal Gourmet. People often called him "the most visible gourmet" of the 1980s.

Jeff Smith's Career

Jeff Smith was born in Seattle, Washington. He went to the University of Puget Sound and later graduated from Drew University in 1965. He became a minister in the United Methodist church. For a while, he worked as a chaplain at a church.

In 1972, Jeff Smith decided to open his own restaurant. He called it the Chaplain's Pantry. The next year, in 1973, he started his first cooking show. It was called Cooking Fish Creatively and aired on a local PBS station in Tacoma, Washington. After a few seasons, the show changed its name to The Frugal Gourmet. His wife, Patty, suggested the new name.

Jeff Smith became known as "The Frugal Gourmet" himself. His friends and fans often called him "The Frug." He always wore his special blue and white striped apron on the show. His first cookbook, Recipes from The Frugal Gourmet, came out in 1977. The theme music for The Frugal Gourmet was a piece called the Bourree from Water Music by George Frideric Handel.

In 1981, Jeff Smith had heart valve surgery. This led to very high medical bills. He had to sell his restaurant, the Chaplain's Pantry, to help pay for them. In 1983, he was interviewed on a popular TV show called the Phil Donahue show. He talked about his paperback cookbook there. After that, he sold 45,000 copies of his book. The money he earned helped him pay off his debt.

Later in 1983, a PBS station in Chicago started showing The Frugal Gourmet across the country. The show aired for more than 200 episodes. Jeff Smith always ended his show by saying, "Until I see you again, this is the Frugal Gourmet. I bid you peace, bye-bye." He also explained that "frugal does not mean cheap." He said, "A frugal gourmet is a thrifty person who enjoys good food."

Jeff Smith also appeared in television commercials for Columbia Crest Wines. In 1995, he hosted another show called "The Frugal Gourmet Keeps the Feast." That same year, he acted in a movie called Grumpier Old Men.

Jeff Smith's Family Life

Jeff Smith married his wife, Patricia, in 1966. They had two sons named Channing and Jason. Patricia is the one who came up with the famous nickname "Frugal Gourmet."

Passing Away

Jeff Smith passed away in his sleep on July 7, 2004. He was 65 years old. He had been dealing with heart disease for a long time. He was survived by his wife Patricia, his sons Channing and Jason, and their wives.